Studio Visit

Nasturtiums in various states of life and decay, subjects for Cressida's latest work. Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Cressida's latest work in progress. This is her carved, painted board, used to create a unique one-off woodblock print. She explains her process below... Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

I recently had the incredible opportunity to meet one of the most amazing Australian artists, whose work I have admired for such a long time. Cressida Campbell is nothing short of a master in her field - her breathtakingly detailed works are highly collectable, and are held in some of the most prestigious public collections in the world, from the National Gallery of Australia to the British Museum.

Working from a home studio in Sydney's Bronte, Cressida depicts scenes from a familiar world - domestic interiors, unmistakeably 'Australian' landscapes, and the most exquisite still lifes. Her intensely laborious process combines both painting and printing, in an innovative technique which results in two unique artworks - a single painted and engraved woodblock, and a one-off woodblock print on paper. As Cressida outlines below, each piece starts with a detailed line drawing on board, after which the linework is engraved to create a single-use woodblock. She then carefully paints thick layers of watercolour into the scene, 'colouring in' her carved line drawing. When this process is complete, the entire board is delicately dampened with water, and used to create a single print on paper. Given this painstaking process, its no wonder that each work can take anywhere between two weeks to four months to complete.

Of all Cressida's lush, densely layered works, I think my very favourites are her domestic scenes. She paints the most beautifully detailed rooms with a deceiving sense of depth - interiors which appear both super flat and multi-dimensional all at once. Many of the spaces she has captured have a sense of autobiography about them - corners of her own home are often depicted in her work, as is the eclectic home of her talented sister, Sydney textile designer Sally Campbell (whose home we have also profiled here!).

As she explains below, the past few years have been a challenging time for Cressida, as she suffered the very sad loss of her husband Peter in 2011, after 29 years together. With the support of her amazing creative family, close friends and loyal gallerists, over the past twelve months Cressida has rekindled her creative practice, and is back in the studio, once again making exquisite work. She staged a solo show last month with Philip Bacon Galleries in Brisbane, and just last weekend she exhibited with Sophie Gannon Gallery at the Sydney Contemporary art fair. Knowing that Cressida is quite a private person, I feel especially lucky to have had the opportunity to visit her at home, and to capture a little of her world and her process first hand. Huge thanks to Sophie Gannon and to Sally Campbell who I think may have had a role to play in gently convincing Cressida to share her story with us!

Tell us a little about your background – what did you study, what path led you to becoming a fine artist, and to creating the style of work you are currently making?

My father was the writer Ross Campbell, my mother Ruth was an art student and then journalist before having four children. My sister Sally is a designer (Sally Campbell Textiles), my sister Nell is an actress and famous nightclub owner of Nell's in New York, while my brother Patrick is a scientist doing Solar Energy research at NSW University.

My husband Peter died in November 2011. We lived together for 29 years. He was a film critic for the Australian Financial Review, book publisher, and previously ran a film festival in Adelaide called the Adelaide Film Event.

I was interested in painting and drawing from a very early age, then went to art school for two years when I was 16 years old, and have been working as a full-time artist ever since. I studied painting and drawing at what is now called the National Art School in East Sydney. While I was there I also studied printmaking where I experimented with woodblock printing, and started using the single painted block technique I still work with today.

Cressida Campbell, Interior with Red Ginger, 1998.

Can you give our readers a little insight into your process? What materials do you use? Is each work pre-planned or created very intuitively? Do you work on multiple pieces at one time? And how long does each work take to complete?

My work is a combination of painting and printing. The end result is a single painted and engraved woodblock and a unique (as in one only) woodblock print.

Before I start a picture I have either seen the subject or thought about the subject for quite a while. I then will begin the work on a piece of plywood (any thickness works for me!) and draw a line drawing in pencil of the subject from life. I then carve the fine line using an engraving power tool from Kyoto. After rubbing out the pencil and lightly sanding the block I paint the block using water colour paint thickly.

When finished, I then spray the block with water and place a dampened piece of Stonehenge paper on the block. Pressure is applied to the back of the paper by hand using a small rubber ink roller. When enough paint comes off onto the paper the print is lifted off.

A small work may take two weeks to complete from the drawing to the end result, a large work may take four months. I usually work on one picture at a time but I will often put a drawing away for months before carving and painting it.

Your self published book 'The Woodblock Painting of Cressida Campbell', which chronicles 25 years of your art practice, has been described as ‘Australia’s most beautiful art book’. The first edition sold out in two weeks, the second edition sold out through preorders, and the third edition is also sold out! Why do you think Australian audiences responded so well to your book, and did you anticipate it would be so widely received?

I am naturally very pleased Australian audiences responded so well to my book. One never knows quite why something connects with people or not, but I did try and make it as visually interesting as possible, and we treated the actual book as a work of art in itself rather than purely a record of my work. We wanted the book to have a similar tactile feeling to the prints and the blocks by using unsurfaced art paper. We were also inspired by a magazine published in the 1930's called Verve that had a very original way of displaying images.

What does a typical day at work involve for you?

A typical day starts, depending on whether I have slept well or not, between 7.30am or 9.30am. I start the day by feeding my tortoise shell cat Kinta and my goldfish in the long pond, going to the front gate and picking up the newspaper from under the wattle trees.

I read the paper over breakfast and then walk up the 13 sandstone steps through a small courtyard garden of banksias and cliveas and unlock the studio, and sit at the easel and paint, listening to the ABC radio or talking to someone on the phone while I work.

I have a small lunch any time between 12.30pm and 2.30pm and keep on working till about 6.00pm. Sometimes I work at night if I have a deadline or the subject looks better at night. I usually have a gin and tonic at the end of the day and then a simple but good dinner, grilled fish or pasta or risotto. Or I go out for dinner or entertain!

Can you list for us 5 resources across any media?

My main inspiration comes from what is directly around me in the house or garden, but I am also very inspired by exhibitions I see in museums or travelling.

I remember combinations of colours I see in houses, pictures, gardens, buildings or sculptures here and round the world. I also have seen many beautiful exhibitions of Asian art at the Art Gallery of N.S.W that have been very inspiring, like the Utamaro show about a year ago, as well as the White Rabbit Gallery in Sydney.

Which other local artists, designers or creative people are you most inspired by at the moment?

What is your proudest career achievement to date?

I don't really think about 'Proudest Career Moments' because like most artists you are generally most interested in what you are trying to do in the present, but I suppose the exhibition at the S.H.Ervin Gallery in Sydney, and the Q.U.T. Gallery in Brisbane showing blocks and prints I had made over about 25 years in 2008 was a memorable time. Mainly because it is interesting looking at a group of images you have made over a long period of time, as well as the exhibition seem to have been very appreciated.

The publication of The Woodblock Painting of Cressida Campbell was also an achievement purely as it was quite a task to produce, also it was great working with my late husband Peter on a project together. It was he who wanted me to do a book and without his encouragement the book would never have been produced.

What would be your dream project?

I don't have a dream project other than trying to progress in my work in a way that I am constantly exploring new compositions and ways of seeing my subjects.

What are you looking forward to?

I am looking forward to making a series of pictures of different rooms with windows, some austere and others not, some large details of subjects that may otherwise not be noticed.

Details from Cressida's exquisite collection of sea shells, which sit in an antique cabinet in her studio. Photo - Sean Fennessy, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Sydney Questions

Your favourite Sydney neighbourhood and why?

Although I don't really have a favourite Sydney neighbourhood as there are so many great suburbs (in the city and the suburbs). But I guess my own neighbourhood (Bronte and Bondi) is brilliant because it is very practical, meaning that the fruitologist, art supply shop, fish shop, chemist, Charcoal Chicken shop, great florist, Jewish cake shop, liquor shop and Russian Deli are 2 minutes drive from my house. Also nearby is Centennial Park and the Bondi to Bronte Walk.

Where do you shop in Sydney for the tools of your trade?

I shop at Bondi Road Art Supplies, I also go to Bismac, a wood supplier .

What and where was the last great meal you ate in Sydney?

I love The Bronte Road Bistro, it has really good fresh ingredients, very nice owners and a good atmosphere that is cosseting but relaxed.

Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?

On a typical Saturday morning I am in my studio, I like to work everyday (obviously not rigidly if something comes up!) and prefer to see people at night.

Sydney’s best kept secret?

Even though I am ashamed to say I don't explore the coastal walks nearly enough, I would have to say there are so many beautiful bush and harbour walks you can do, and I hardly see any one walking on them. I love the view from Mann's Point at Greenwich where I grew up, overlooking the Shell shipping terminal and Berry's Island on Sydney Harbour.

Cressida's stunning self published book The Woodblock Painting of Cressida Campbell is now sold out, with no plans for a fourth edition. You may be able to still find one in good book shops!

Really enjoyed this article on Cressida. The woodblocks and ‘interior with red ginger’ is so reminiscent of the great Margret Preston. And what a lovely environment to work in…..skipping through the banksia’s and clivias. A celebration of the Australian landscape.
I would love the book and will have to start the search. Thank you.

Wow what a great opportunity to interview such a wonderful artist! I like reading your interview because of the ideas one can get.

4 years ago

Jane

4 years ago

Great story Lucy! Many thanks for pursuing the fabulous Cressida!
Like Soula above, I’ve been trying to source her book for about 6 months with no luck, so any pressure we can apply to try and get Cressida to do a fouth edition is much encouraged!

4 years ago

Jenny

4 years ago

What a humble, gentle artist producing inspiring work. Thank you for sharing.

4 years ago

Lilac weininger

4 years ago

LOVE her work. And now feel so privileged to own a copy of the book. My dream is to own an original art work of hers

I read the paper over breakfast and then walk up the 13 sandstone steps through a small courtyard garden of banksias and cliveas and unlock the studio, and sit at the easel and paint, listening to the ABC radio or talking to someone on the phone while I work.

I am naturally very pleased Australian audiences responded so well to my book. One never knows quite why something connects with people or not, but I did try and make it as visually interesting as possible, and we treated the actual book as a work of art in itself rather than purely a record of my work.

4 years ago

Rachel

4 years ago

I am unfamiliar with Cressidas work but her tone throughout the article is soothing and compelling. You can see this personality in her work- beautiful.

4 years ago

Jude

4 years ago

I’ve seen a beautiful example of Cressida’s work at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead! Your blog has given me an even greater appreciation of the creative process to achieve such a lovely work. Thank you Cressida.

Amazing interview, love her work and have done so for a long time. I just would like to point out that one of the links to her main inspirations at the moment, you have put the completely wrong link to Peter Godwin. She is not referring to this guy, she’s referring to the Australian artist Peter Godwin who taught me at the national art school way back in the early 90s. He doesn’t seem to have a website but he’s represented by Phillip Bacon Galleries here: http://www.philipbacongalleries.com.au/artists_and_stockroom?id=452687&m=b
Hope you can rectify this as he deserves it!